Princess Marianne (1810-1883)

[Marengo]

Princess Marianne (1810-1883) 'An impossible and morally inferior creature'

This thread is about Princess Wilhelmina Frederica Louisa Charlotte Marianne of The Netherlands, Princess of Oranje-Nassau, Princess of Prussia (Berlin, May 9, 1810 - Schloss Reinharthausen, Erbach im Rheingau May 23 1883).

Parents: King Willem I of The Netherlands and Queen Wilhelmina of The Netherlands, nee Princess of Prussia.

Husbands: Prince Albrecht of Prussia (divorced) and Johannes van Rossum.

Children: Princess Charlotte, Prince Albrecht jr, Princess Alexandrine of Prussia and Johannes van Reinharthausen.

Siblings: King Willem II, Prince Frederik and Princess Pauline of The Netherlands.

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All pictures that I will post in this thread come from the Alexanderpalace forum and are originally found, posted and scanned by their member Thijs (which must have been a lot of work). I can only assume he scanned them from various books and magazines on Dutch royals and on Princess Marianne specifically. When I have another source for a picture then Thijs, I will write this above that picture.

The information that I use in this thread comes from various sources, but most importantly from a Royalty Digest article by Ricardo Mateos Sainz de Medrano, that Warren was kind enough to send me. Feel free to point out mistakes or to add information, pictures, questions and other comments about Princess Marianne.
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Childhood

Marianne was born as daughter to Prince Willem (VI) of Orange, Stadholder -de jure- of The United Provinces and his wife princess Frederica Wilhelmina of Prussia. Due to Napoleons armies the Orange-Nassaus had to go in excile in 1795. The family first went to London, later to Berlin, where the Prince and Princess of Orange were living as guests of Princess Wilhelmina's brother, King Friedrich-Wilhelm III of Prussia. It was in Berlin in the 'Palais Holandais' on the Unter den Linden where on May 9 1810 a the couple's second daughter was born: Wilhelmina Frederica Louisa Charlotte Marianne. She quickly became the favourite in the family, and especially of her father who spoiled her terribly and who overloaded his only surviving daughter with gifts and attention.

In 1815 the family's relative royal hardship in Berlin was over. Napoleon was defeated and the Prince of Orange was proclaimed King of the United Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg and Duke of Limburg (the entire present Benelux). The family moved to The Hague, where Marianne spent most of her childhood. There she grew up as a bright, strong-willed, independant and rather original gil who was used to get things done her way.

Marianne around 1815:

Her father King Willem I:

Her mother Queen Wilhelmina holding Princess Marianne around 1812:

Marianne's governess and first lady-in-waiting, Countess Jacoba Bentinck, nee Countess van Reede-Ginkel:

 

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Engagements


Around her 18th birthday Marianne started to think of marriage. As daughter of the rich King Willem I she was an attractive party for many European princes. Some even say that the widowed Emperor Pedro I of Brazil was interested in her hand. But Marianne wanted to do things her own way and fell in love with Prince Gustav Wasa, 'Prince of Sweden' (son of the deposed Swedish king Gustaf IV Adolf).
The engagement caused many eyebrows to rise in royal Europe. Not only was Gustav penniless* and without a throne, the Swedish king from the new Bernadotte dynasty had problems with this to advantageous engagement of the rival claimant. Some sources even claim that Karl XIV-Johan threatened with war if the engagement would not be broken of (not very likely, but still). Add to that that there were some doubts about the prince's character, as he seemed to be a mallionet of Prince Metternich, and there were doubts about his mother who lived ith her lover for some years. The general consensus was that Marianne could do a whole lot better, as her sister-in-law, the Princess of Orange explained in a letter to her brother Grand Duke Constantine of Russia:

'To my mind it would be a sad position to have my sister-in-law married in that way; she would have had an establishment in this country and in Vienna, without having a settled position anywhere. And what a source of discord, worry and apprehention in European politics. It is deplorable! '.

In the end King Willem I relented and broke of the engagement. Queen Wilhelmina quickly started looking for other suitable candidates, and where else would her eyes go first then to her native Prussia, where Marianne had been born to? The most suitable candidate there was Marianne's cousin, Prince Albrecht, fourth son of King Friedrich-Willem III, a general and field-marshal in the Prussian army and an attractive & amiable young man. The couple soon got engaged.

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* others however claim that Prince Gustav owned around 10 million florins, which was a huge capital at the time.
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Marianne around 1828:

Marianne and her mother, Queen Wilhelmina, around 1830

 

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Marriage & children

Albrecht and Marianne married on September 14th 1830 in The Hague at Palace Noordeinde, amidst the Belgian crisis (which eventually caused her fathers Kingdom to split up). The bride received from her father a valuable collection of jewels, most notably the diamond and pearl tiara and brooch* that she is wearing on the picture below in this thread. According to some the King ordered a special (wedding)crown for his daughter, but others doubt if that crown ever existed. There is only one painting of Marianne with the crown (sadly I wasn't able to find it), but the crown can be a sprout of the painters own imagination.

The newlyweds settled in the new Albrechtpalace in berlin but also visited their two castles near Dresden and Berlin (Schloss Albrechtsberg and Schloss Schonhausen) and The Hague frequently. In 1831 the couple's first daughter Friederike Luise Wilhelmina Marianne Charlotte was born. Soon afterwards followed more children. Son Friedrich Wilhelm Nicolaus Albrecht (b. 1837), daughter Friederike Luise Wilhelmine Elisabeth (b. and d. 1840) and daughter Friederike Luise Wilhelmine Elisabeth Alexandrine (b. 1842).

But quickly after settling in Berlin Marianne's eccentric ways started to meet with disaproval from her stiff and less understanding Hohenzollern in-laws.

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* Her sister-in-law received an exact copy of the tiara and brooche, which is now frequently worn by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark.
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Her husband, Prince Albrecht of Prussia:

Her children Charlotte, Albrecht jr and Alexandrine:

Her second daughter, Princess Alexandrine of Prussia:

Marianne with the tiara & brooch she received from her father (the portrait can be seen in Palace 't Loo, Apeldoorn):

 

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'She is a strange being'

It was no surprise that the spoiled and independant Marianne soon became regarded as an eccentricity by the stiff and dutifull Hohenzollerns. Rigid courtlife didn't make her adapt her opinions (or at least to be silent about them) and the in-laws soon regarded her as everything a Prussian royal should not be. The Princess could afford to do things her own way as she was a financially independant woman with a fortune of her own (with which she bought Schloss Kamenz). Dispite her 'non-confirmist way and showy character' Marianne was a very religious woman who went to church three times a day.

An example of this eccentric behavior was recorded by the Duchess of Dino. During a dinner given in the honour of the new French King Louis-Felipe I, from the house of Orleans. Marianne appeared with a garland of lilies in her hair, to show her -not to subtle- support to the disposed house of Bourbon. Her in-laws and the french visitors were of course shocked and appaled by this blunt gesture. Apart from recording this episode the Duchess wrote this discription of Marianne: ' I think that of all the persons I have seen here Princess Albrecht has filled me with the greatest curiosity and interest. At first I thought her face was long and narrow, her mouth large, and the lower part of her face very ugly when she laughs, while the want of eyebrows was remarkable. But by degrees I have grown used to her, and find her actually pleasant. Her teeth are white and she is tall, but it is to obvious that she laces very tightly, which is the more noticable as she never rests; she wrigles, gesticulates, laughs, fidgets, and talks somewhat at random. She never crosses a room except at a run or a skip, and does not shine in point of dignity of bearing. But on the whole I think by no means she is unpleasant, and I think that men may find her somewhat attractive. She was very kind to me, with a frankness and good-nature in putting her questions as if she had always known me and poking fun ledft and right at her family to begin with; she astonished me greatly. The fact is that she is a spoilt child, accustomed to do and say anything she likes, and is regarded here as quite beyond restraint. She goes away to The Hague when her family would like her to stay in Berlin and she comes back when they think she intends to make a long stay in Holland. In short, she is a strange being.'

Her position among the Dutch royals became weaker to. Her father abdicated and settled in Berlin and her brother Willem II and his stern Queen Anna Pavlovna reigned. Anna had never much sympathy for people who did not live up to their duties and disapproved of her behavior. The new Princess of Orange, Sophie of Wurttemberg, for once agreed with her mother-in-law and called Marianne 'a morally inferior creature'.

This picture comes from wikipedia:

Schloss Kamenz:

 

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Portraits:

Some more portraits of Marianne in her Prussian years:

This portrait now hangs on the wall of the large dining room in Palace Noordeinde, The Hague:

 

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Affair & divorce

Soon marital problems arose between Albrecht and Marianne. Albrecht had a difficult character and was to open about his infidelities. The couple started living seperately and filed for divorce, an unprecidented scandalous action in both the house of Hohenzollerns and the house of Orange-Nassau (for whch Marianne was blamed, not Albrecht). By now Marianne started taking lovers to, most notably her Dutch coachman, Johannes van Rossum. While the Prussian King first refused to ccept the divorce, the birth of Marianne's illegitemate son (by van Rossum) was the last straw: Albrecht and Marianne were divorced in march 1848. Marianne was forbidden to enter Prussia or The Netherlands and her three children were to be raised by her husband (in fact the childless Queen Elisabeth of Prusssia took care of them). Marianne was dressed in white for several years after the divorce, to show the world her 'innocence' in the matter.

When little Johannes Willem von Reinharthausen was born is not sure. He was however born in Marianne's new castle, Schloss Reinharthausen (Erbach) after which he was named. Marianne probably bought Reinharthausen from Duke Adolf of Nassau, who also allowed her to give her son the last name 'von Reinharthausen'. Against the customs of the time Marianne decide not to place her son with another family but to raise him herself.

Her lover (and coachman), Johannes van Rossum:

Her illegitemate son, Johannes Willem von Reinharthausen:

Photograph of Marianne around 1850:

Schloss Reinharthausen:

 

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On the move:


In 1849 Marianne started her travels. he first one took her to Sicily and later to lake Como, where she stayed for several years with her son Johannes Willem and her lover Johannes van Rossum. It was around this time that Marianne married Johannes van Rossum, though sources are not clear on the exact year (1852, 1853, 1854 and others claim they were married quickly after the divorce). Marianne always kept a keen interest in her homeland and after her nephew King Willem III became king in 1849 she was alowed back into the country & bought a house in Voorburg, near The Hague.

As Marianne was Willem III's favourite aunt, it is no surprise that his wife, Queen Sophie, would be one of her severest critics (Willem III and Sophie weren't the most harmonious couple). Sophie stated in a letter to Lady Malet that she thought the Princess was leading an adominable pedestrial life and Í had no choise indeed but to refuse her entry to my house'. According to Sohpie she refused Marianne because she was a gossiped and lied. Maybe Sophie was jealous that Marianne got the divorce that she herself was to afraid to ask for? Sophie must have felt more then disapproval of her aunt-in-law anyway, as she owned a miniature of the Princess.

Queen Sophie's miniature of Marianne:

Marianne at Lake Como with Johannes van Rossum and with her daughter Charlotte (on her left) and son-in-law Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen. The painting still hangs at Schloss Reinharthausen :

Marianne in middle age:

Huize Rusthof, Voorburg:

 

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Old age:

After her travels Marianne settled in Reinharthausen again, where in 1860 her son Johannes-Willem died. The princess lived a quiet life. She still visited church often and was involved in charity. Sometimes she was visited by one of her two remaining children, who were still fond f their mother dispite everything. In 1872 both her husbands died and Marianne lead an even more solitairy life.

In 1874 Empress Frederick met Princess Marianne for the first time. In a letter to her mother she gives a good insight about Marianne's sad life and her ugly appearance. 'It interested me much to see old Princess Marianne of The Netherlands. She looks like an old dutch picture -with a close white cap around her face- and a little snow white hair at the temples and behind the ears. Her face is so covered with wrinkles and her eyesare so sunk in her head that she looks like a study of Rembrandt and might be 80! (...)
She made a most melancholy impression on me -to see an old lady, so high placed- who has so entirely forfeited all respect and yet I felt the profoundest pity for the thing, mixed with all those feelings. (...) For 30 years she lived with him [Johannes van Rossum] almost. This low wretch was often tipsey and of late he used to beat her on the street when they walked or drove! She stooped to his sphere so completely that she ceased to be a lady at all! It is so terribly sad to think of a life so mis-spent, and of the sorrow and suffering she brought on her children and grandchildren. Perhaps a little kondness and wise advice in her youth might have saved her, but her husband was neither wise, nor good then, and many mischivious people contributed to her fall'. Queen Victoria replied 'That old Princess Marianne shoulkd wish to see her children I find quite natural. But I can not understand her not having more pride than to wish to return to be condescendingly receiving family to which the husband belonged who used her so ill and who in fact forced her -unprincipled as she was- into a most immoral life'.

The last time Princess Marianne appeared in public in The Netherlands was in 1880, at the baptism of her great-niece, the future Queen Wilhelmina. She gave the little child a portrait of herself on which she wrote 'Oh there are so many things that I wish for this little girl. I know what it is like to be both Queen and woman. It causes such an internal struggle; many a queen may wish only to be born as a woman'. Wilhelmina kept the small portrait of Marianne in her studyroom untill she died, which must say something as Wilhelmina only surrounded herself there with (deceased) familymembers that she admired.


The grave of Johannes Willem von Reinharthausen:

Marianne:

 

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Death:

Princess Marianne died on May 29th 1883 in Reinhartshausen, Erbach. The Princess was buried there as well, outside the church where her son Johannes Willem was buried to. In a last attempt to wash away the scandal of divorce from the family history of the Hohenzollerns her grave still calls her 'Princess of Prussia and mentions her marriage to Prince Albrecht (not the divorce). When her great-granddaughter Princess Elisabeth of Prussia, mrs. Mees wanted to be buried in the tomb of Marianne in 1961, they discovered a second coffin with Marianne's, probably the one of Princess Marianne's second husband Johannes van Rossum.


Marianne lying in state:

Marianne's grave:

NB. note 'Elisabeth Mees' on the last picture.

 

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Charlotte:

Apart from Queen Elisabeth, the future Empress Frederick also took a keen interest in the children of Princess Marianne. Dispite the scandalous dicorce of their parents the children of Albrecht and Marianne were interesting parties on the European 'marriage-market' due to their (Dutch) fortune and their Hohenzollern connections. The Empress Frederick tried to marry Princess Charlotte of to one of her brothers, which failed. Charlotte was to marry Duke Georg II of Saxe-Meiningen in 1850 and sadly died while in labour of her second (and stillborn) child in 1855.

Charlotte:

Charlotte with her sister Alexandrine:

 

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Albrecht jr:

Prince Albrecht jr (Abbat) grew up somewhat spoiled as well and was called 'the fairy Prince'. As he would once inherit most of his mothers and his fathers fortune he was a very attractive marriage candidate and Crownprincess Victoria-Adelaide tried to marry him off to her sister Helena, so she would have a companion in Berlin and married her favourite Hohenzollern cousin to her sister. The Hohenzollerns considered one English princess in Berlin as more then enough and the engagement never took place. In 1865 Albrecht went to t. Petesburg to get aquinted with Duchess Katharina of Oldenburg, but she sadly died the year afterwards. While he visited Hannover, to get familiar with the daughter of the king and queen of Hannover, he got interested in the Queens niece, Duchess Maria of Saxe-Altenburg. The couple married in 1873 and got 3 sons: Friedrich, Joachim-Albrecht and Friedrich-Wilhelm.

Albrecht jr:

Her daughter-in-law, Maria of Saxe-Altenburg:

 

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Alexandrine:

Princess Alexandrine (Addy), Marianne's youngest daughter, was described as 'neither clever nor pretty' by Empress Frederick and she had to be protected from her 'horrid uncle' (probably Prince Karl) who tried to 'corrupt her mind'. This did not stop her to have a fondness for Addy to and again she tried to marry one of Marianne's children of to a British relative, this time to the Duke of Cambridge, sadly she failed. In a letter to her mother she told: 'such an excellent girl and much admired here; she had plenty of her own one million dollars of her mother, she would have 100.000 from the King if she married, and the same from her father most likely.

In the end Alexandrine was married to her cousin, Duke Wilhelm of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (Schnapps), who was a son of King Wilhelm I's favourite sister Alexandrine. With this financially advantageous marriage Alexandrine (the elder) probably wanted to give her second some some kind of financial security in the future. The two were most certainly not in love: Alexandrine cried the entire wedding ceremony, she had reason to cry as Wilhelm was discribed as 'a horrid husband'. This is what the always alert Empress Frederick wrote to her mother about the wedding: 'The wedding was celebrated with the greatest pomp, but had something of the solemnity of a funeral about it - nothing gay, festive or bridal. The only thing that made a pleasing impression on me was dear Addy herself, who although she cried the whole time, had such a dignified and touching appearance that I never saw her look so well. She went through it all with the most perfect tenue - though I never saw her smile once. She did not look a bit like a bride but I must say very elegant and distinguee. (...) The bridegroom's tenance looked as evil as possible the whole time. I looked in vain for a trace of softness of feeling.

Alexandrine was far from happy with her husband and she tried to escape several times, only to be forced back again by pressure from the powerfull Dowager Grand Duchess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. Duke Wilhelm died in 1879 after which Alexandrine dedicated her life to her daughter Charlotte and played very little part in public life.

Alexandrine with her aunt, mother-in-law and namesake Grand Duchess Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin:

Alexandrine as teenager:

Alexandrine, who inherited her mothers pearl and diamond tiara & brooch:

 

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Grandchildren:

Marianne had 5 grandchildren. Duke Berhard III of Saxe-Meiningen (who married Empress Frederick's daughter Charlotte), Princes Friedrich, Joachim-Albrecht and Frierich-Wilhelm of Prussia and Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who later married one of the many Princes Heinrich Reuss zu Kostriz. Marianne's pearl and diamond tiara must have been passed to this family but the present whereabouts are unknown.

The Prussian grandsons of Marianne were considered as marriage candidates for Queen Wilhelmina of The Netherlands. Wilhelmina even met Prince Friedrich-Wilhelm, but did not see anything in the plan. She considered him to flashy and affected (and 'a typical Prussian').

Charlotte's son, Duke Bernhard III of Saxe-Meiningen:

The three sons of Albrecht jr:

Friedrich:

Joachim-Albrecht:

Joachim-Albrecht and his second wife visiting The Netherlands in 1938:

Friedrich-Wilhelm:

Prince Friedrich-Wilhelm and his wife Agathe:

 

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List of descendants:


1 Princess Charlotte of Prussia (1831-1855), m.1850 Georg II, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1826-1914)
...1.1 Bernhard III, Duke of Saxe-Meiningen (1851-1928), m.1878 Princess Charlotte of Prussia (1860-1919)
.........1.1.1 Princess Feodora of Saxe-Meiningen (1879-1945), m.1898 Heinrich XXX Reuss (1864-1939)
.........1.1.2 Prince Georg of Saxe-Meiningen (1852-1855)
.........1.1.3 Princess Marie of Saxe-Meiningen (1853-1923)

2 Prince Albrecht of Prussia (1837-1906), m.1873 Princess Marie of Saxe-Altenburg (1854-1898)
...2.1 Prince Friedrich Heinrich Albrecht of Prussia (1874-1940)
...2.2 Prince Joachim Albrecht of Prussia (1876-1939), m.1st 1919 Marie Sulzer (1872-1919), m.2nd 1920 (div 1936) Karoline
........Stockhammer (1891-1952)
...2.3 Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Prussia (1880-1925), m.1910 Princess Agathe of Ratibor and Corvey, Princess of Hohenlohe-
........Schillingsfürst (1888-1960)
.........2.3.1 Princess Marie Therese of Prussia (1911-2005), m.1932 Rudolf Hug (1885-1972)
...............2.3.1.1.Alois Hug (1932-1932)
...............2.3.1.2.Friedrich Wilhelm Hug (b.1932), m. ca 1976 Gisela Peschke
...............2.3.1.3.Albrecht Hug (1933-2000)
...............2.3.1.4.Charlotte Hug (b.1935) m.1961 Erich Brehm (b.1930)
.....................2.3.1.4.1.Bernhard Brehm (b.1962), m. Sabine ?
...........................2.3.1.4.2.Ulrich Brehm (b.1967)
...............2.3.1.5.Oda Hug (*1937) m.1963 Hans-Hermann Piltz (b.1930)
.....................2.3.1.5.1.Luise-Dorothea Piltz (b.1965), m. Eckhard ?
.....................2.3.1.5.2.Angela-Beatrice Piltz (b.1968)
.....................2.3.1.5.3.Helmut-Albrecht Piltz (b.1969)
.....................2.3.1.5.4.Hans-Alexander Piltz (b.1969)
...............2.3.1.6.Rudolf-Sigismut Hug (b.1939), m.1969 Annette Schervier (b.1942)
.....................2.3.1.6.1.Alexander Hug (b.1971), m. Susanne ?
.....................2.3.1.6.2.Joachim Hug (b.1973)
...............2.3.1.7.Siegilde Hug (b.1941) m.1971 Alessandro Gatta (b.1946)
.....................2.3.1.7.1.Caterina Gatta (b.1972), m. Cristiano ?
.....................2.3.1.7.2.Philipp Gatta (b.1974)
...............2.3.1.8.Luitgard-Luise Hug (b.1943) m.1967 Klaus Beckenbauer (b.1939)
.....................2.3.1.8.1.Bela Beckenbauer (b.1968)
.....................2.3.1.8.2.Wolf-Thilo Beckenbauer (1969-1973)
.....................2.3.1.8.3.Bernold Beckenbauer (b.1976)
.....................2.3.1.8.4.Angela Beckenbauer (b.1981)
................2.3.1.9.Wolfdietrich Hug (b.1945), m.1973 Gabriela Lemcke (b.1948)
.....................2.3.1.9.1.Max-Robert Hug (b.1975)
.....................2.3.1.9.2.Franziska Hug (b.1982)
................2.3.1.10.Angela Hug (b.1951), m.1st 1976 (div) Takeluddin Ell-Hosny Noreddin (b.1940), m.2nd Dirk Rohweder (b.1940)
.....................2.3.1.10.1.Caroline Rohweder (b.1981)
.....................2.3.1.10.2.Philipp Rohweder (b.1983)
.....................2.3.1.10.3.Alexander Rohweder (b.1985)
................2.3.1.11.Rudolf-Philipp Hug (b.1957), m. Gabriele Albrecht
......................2.3.1.11.1.Nicolas Hug
......................2.3.1.11.2.Laura-Sophie Hug
.........2.3.2.Princess Luise Henriette of Prussia (1912-1973), m.1936 Wilhelm Schmalz (1901-1983)
...............2.3.2.1.Agathe Schmalz (b.1937), m. Adolf Schmalz
.....................2.3.2.1.1.Thilo Schmalz
...............2.3.2.2.Hubertus Schmalz (b.1938), m.1968 Ulrike Feuerborn (b.1945)
.....................2.3.2.2.1.Alexandra Schmalz (b.1968), m. Harry Scherer (b.1959)
...........................2.3.2.2.1.1.Isabelle Schmalz (b.2002)
.....................2.3.2.2.2.Franziska Schmalz (b.1971), m. Wladimir Milenov Bogdanov (b.1971)
.....................2.3.2.2.3.Christina Schmalz (b.1973)
...............2.3.2.3.Bernhard Schmalz (b.1941), m.1978 Baroness Dorothea von Kettler (b.1950)
.....................2.3.2.3.1.Sebastian Schmalz (b.1970)
.....................2.3.2.3.2.Moritz Schmalz
.....................2.3.2.3.3.Luise Henriette Schmalz
...............2.3.2.4.Friedrich Wilhelm Schmalz (b.1943), m.1968 Sybille Spring (b.1947)
.....................2.3.2.4.1.Silke Schmalz (b.1970), m. Achim Malzmüller
...........................2.3.2.4.1.1.Florian Malzmüller (b.2001)
...........................2.3.2.4.1.2.Felix Malzmüller (b.2003)
...........................2.3.2.4.1.3.Philipp Malzmüller (b.2005)
.....................2.3.2.4.2.Alexander Schmalz (b.1971)
.........2.3.3.Princess Marianne of Prussia (1913-1983), m.1933 Prince Wilhelm of Hessen-Kassel (1905-1942)
...............2.3.3.1.Prince Wilhelm of Hessen-Kassel (b.1933), m.1961 Oda-Mathilde von Garmissen (b.1935)
.....................2.3.3.1.1.Prince Wilhelm of Hessen-Kassel (b.1963), m. Alexandra von Kaufmann
.....................2.3.3.1.2.Prince Otto of Hessen-Kassel (b.1965), m.1998 Carla Blickhauser (b.1974)
...........................2.3.3.1.2.1.Prince Max of Hessen-Kassel (b.1999)
...........................2.3.3.1.2.2.Princess Elena of Hessen-Kassel (b.2000)
...............2.3.3.2.Prince Hermann of Hessen-Kassel (b.1935), m.1962 Countess Monika Strachwitz von Gross-Zauche und
.........................Cammenitz (b.1939)
.....................2.3.3.2.1.Princess Verena of Hessen-Kassel (b.1972), m.2000 Felix von Saucken (b.1970)
...........................2.3.3.2.1.1.Ludwig von Saucken (b.2000)
...........................2.3.3.2.1.2.Anastasia von Saucken (b.2003)
.....................2.3.3.2.2.Prince Alexis of Hessem-Kassel (b.1977)
...............2.3.3.3.Princess Johanna of Hessen-Kassel (b.1937), m.1st 1957 (div 1961) Alfons Kuhn (b.1924), m.2nd 1963 Bruno
..........................Riek (b.1927)
....................2.3.3.3.1.Vera Maria Kuhn (b.1959)
....................2.3.3.3.2.Bruno Riek (b.1964)
....................2.3.3.3.3.Monika Riek (b.1965)
....................2.3.3.3.4.Renata Riek (b.1968)
.........2.3.4.Princess Elisabeth of Prussia (1919-1961), m.1948 Heinz Mees (1918-1994)

3.Princess Elisabeth of Prussia (1840-1840)

4.Princess Alexandrine of Prussia (1842-1906), m.1865 Duke Wilhelm of Mecklenburg (1827-1879)
...4.1.Duchess Charlotte of Mecklenburg (1868-1944): m.1st 1886 Heinrich XVIII Reuss of Köstritz (1847-1911), m.2nd 1921 Robert Schmidt (1892-1971)
.........4.1.1.Prince Heinrich XXXVII Reuss (1888-1964), m.1st 1922 (div 1930) Frieda Mijotki (1891-1957), m.2nd 1933 Stephanie Clemm von Hohenberg (1900-1990)
...............4.1.1.1.Prince Heinrich XI Reuss (b.1934), m.1961 Baroness Ulfa von Dörnberg (b.1935)
.....................4.1.1.1.1.Princess Henriette Reuss (b.1964), m.1989 Count Ruprecht of Solms-Baruth (b.1963)
...........................4.1.1.1.1.1.Count Kasimir of Solms-Baruth (b.1991)
...........................4.1.1.1.1.2.Count Hubertus of Solms-Baruth (b.1993)
...........................4.1.1.1.1.3.Count Clemens of Solms-Baruth (b.1996)
.....................4.1.1.1.2.Prince Heinrich XVI Reuss (b.1965), m.1994 Baroness Julia Schenk von Schweinsberg (b.1968)
.....................4.1.1.1.3.Prince Heinrich XVIII Reuss (b.1969), m.2001 Diana von Hagen (b.1972)
.....................4.1.1.1.4.Princess Friederike Reuss (b.1976), m.2003 Johann Rotger van Lengerich (b.1971)
...........................4.1.1.1.4.1.Johann Heinrich van Lengerich (b.2005)
...............4.1.1.2.Princess Marianne Reuss (b.1936) m.1st 1973 Avery Brundage (1887-1975), m.2nd 1987 (div 1994) Friedrich Karl
.........................Feldmann (b.1915)
.........4.1.2.Prince Heinrich XXXVIII Reuss of Köstritz (1889-1918)
.........4.1.3.Prince Heinrich XLII Reuss (1892-1949), m.1st 1923 Charlotte Nawrath (1892-1944), m.2nd 1947 Anneliese Taube
................(1915-1997)
...............4.1.3.1.Princess Alexandrine Reuss (b.1948), m.1975 Uwe Schulze (b.1940)
...............4.1.3.2.Princess Dagmar Reuss (+)

5 Johannes Willem van Reinhartshausen (1849-1861)

(source: Hein Bruins, 10/12/2006 http://www.angelfire.com/in/heinbruins/index.html)

--

Princess Elisabeth of Prussia, mrs. Mees and her husband Heinz Mees:

Last picture of Marianne for now:


....................................................................

............................................................................

 

[lucien]

Thanks for starting a thread on the more then interesting life of Princess Marianne here Marengo.

I do have a few side remarks,nothing serious tho,it's just that the Pearl parure you refer to in post 4:it was/is not her sister in laws
parure we see QM II wearing (most of the time),but it was her parents wedding gift to Princess Louise,daughter of Prince Frederik
(son of Willem I,brother of Marianne)upon her wedding to the then Crown Prince of Sweden.

Marianne went to Sicily,as you said,but it was to give birth to her son Johannes there,at Cefalu,out of view from tout Royal Europe.

The list of descendants.I immediatly recognised Hein's impressive and wonderfull work when I saw it,but his name is Hein,not Heinz...
"he's not a Prussian you know..."

And on a slightly o/t note,I very much miss Thijs posts at the Alexander Palace Forum Benelux thread,wish he could "do something about that" ..

 

[Marengo]

Ah, I confused mixed up Hein's name with Heinz Wember, who has a genealogy site as well. I have corrected the error.

-

The article in Royalty Digest says that little Johannes was most probably born in Erbach, so that is why I posted it here. But thanks for correcting it. I will see if I an find a book on Marianne in the future, to find out a bit more (and maybe to get more anecdotes than the ones from the omni-present Empress Frederick).

I thought it was a gift from either King Willem I or Prince Frederik to Princess Luise of Prussia, who gave it in turn to her daughter Queen Louise of Sweden. She is wearing it on this painting at Noordeinde anyway (pic again by Thijs from the Alexanderpalace forum):

-
I only encountered Thijs at the Alexanderpalace forum very recently, but he is a treasure indeed. All the pictures of old and (almost) forgotten Dutch royals that he posted there!

 

[lucien]

I thought it was a gift from either King Willem I or Prince Frederik to Princess Luise of Prussia, who gave it in turn to her daughter Queen Louise of Sweden. She is wearing it on this painting at Noordeinde anyway (pic again by Thijs from the Alexanderpalace forum):

-
I only encountered Thijs at the Alexanderpalace forum very recently, but he is a treasure indeed. All the pictures of old and (almost) forgotten Dutch royals that he posted there!

Ah,ofcourse,you are right,in fact,we're both right....grin..

Thijs posts?I call it the On-Line National Portrait Gallery,just breathtakingly beautifull!

Have a great day,and beware,it's friday the 13th...

 

[princess olga]

Wow, such a wealth of pictures, thank you Thijs & Marengo so much, this must have occupied a ton of your time!! It's much appreciated though, I learned so much just scrolling through this thread!

Occurred to me how different the face in all the painted portraits look from the face in the photographs!

also, Marianne struck me as a kindof prinses Irene avant la lettre, no? Although according to this thread, many of her peers seem to have understood her predicaments perfectly well. As Queen Victoria said, it was Marianne's husband who drove the poor woman basically into the arms of others! Interesting how her contemporaries evidently saw that, that the blame wasn't squarely placed onto Marianne!

Interesting, also, how forgotten she is today as a historic character..wonder why.

 

[Toledo]

Wow, she was beautiful! Thanks for the pictures, this was one princess I was not familiar with.

 

[sara1981]

thanks for pictures and story but she very beautiful as Princess and more wealthy as woman

 

[Zonk]

Marengo...this is great!

Until I read your piece, I had never heard of Princess Marianne. When I hear and learn more about the women who lived during this time, I am always impressed with the lives that they lead. Just goes to show you that no matter what time period you live in...being a Princess is not a bed of roses!

 

[magnik]

Marengo as always great!

Descendants one more:
http://geneweb.inria.fr/roglo?lang=en&m=D&i=122029&v=6&t=L&alwsurn=yes&image=on&bd=0&color=
http://www.thepeerage.com/p10233.htm#i102324

Probably posted before http://worldroots.com/brigitte/royal/royal16b.htm

 

[nicolehraphael]

Princess Wilhelmina Frederica Louisa Charlotte Marianne of The Netherlands, Princess

Hello everyone!
I hope that one of you can perhaps lead me in the right direction in my research.

I am researching Princess Marianne of Prussia. I have some information that in 1873 The Princess of Prussia and her entourage were travelling through The Holy Land and stopped in Sefad (Safed/Tzfat) on her way to Jerusalem. She was dangerously ill and her doctors could not make a diagnosis. A local physician, Dr. Pesach Friedman was consulted, made a diagnosis (malaria) and cured her. The Princess entreated Dr. Friendman to accompany her on the on the rest of her journey to Jerusalem. Dr. Friedman agreed on two conditions: "As a Jew, I must have a miyon (10 men) for daily prayer and kosher food to eat." His conditions were met and Reb Pesach journed with the The Princess and her entourage.

Dr. Pesach Friendman returned To Tzfat and to his family. Some months later, he received a telegram from the Kaiser - Reb Pesach was appointed Prussian Vice Counsel for Tzfat, allowing him to give Prussian passports to Jewish men in Tsfat, freeing them from having to do miltary duty for The Turkish Empire which then controlled the Holy Land.

I received this information from personal family trees and reseach. Dr. Friedman is one of my ancestors.

Can anyone guide me to more detailed information about the Princess Marianne and her travels to The Holy Land?
I would greatly appreciate any help that anyone can offer.

Thank you!

Nicole Raphael

 

[lucien]

First of all,HRH Princess Marianne of The Netherlands divorced that german infidel,so,she is not to be adressed as Princess of Prussia.

 

[Marengo]

I only found information about an earlier travel of Princess Marianne (from 1849 to 1851) through the mediterenian. She visited Rome, Sicily, Alexandria and also Jerusalem. During this trip her illegitemate son Johannes was probably born (in Sicily) and she bought a slave on a market too.

I am not sure if Princess Marianne went to Jeruzalem in 1873, she was already fairly old and in April of that year her life-partner Johannes van Rossum died in Voorburg.

 

[lucien]

I only found information about an earlier travel of Princess Marianne (from 1849 to 1851) through the mediterenian. She visited Rome, Sicily, Alexandria and also Jerusalem. During this trip her illegitemate son Johannes was probably born (in Sicily) and she bought a slave on a market too.

I am not sure if Princess Marianne went to Jeruzalem in 1873, she was already fairly old and in April of that year her life-partner Johannes van Rossum died in Voorburg.

That's correct,she gave birth to her son at Cefalu,Sicily.And as far as I know/recall,she didn't go to Jerusalem in the time period,1873.

 

[nicolehraphael]

Thanks so much!
Originally, I was researching Empress Frederick (I thought that she was "The Princess of Prussia" mentioned in the Chasidc story based on my ancestor, Dr. Pesach Friedman) - but when I started reseaching her a bit, I could not find any mention of her travels to "The Holy Land". When I saw somewhere that Marianne made the journey, I was sure it was her (I would not be surprised if the dates in the Chasidic tale are off. In any case, do any of you know of any other PRINCESS OF PRUSSIA who might have brought an entourage to "The Holy Land" in 1873. Any help or guidance would be so appreciated. I am trying to begin reseach on the story in order to adapt the piece into a play.
Thanks again!!

 

[lucien]

Thanks so much!
Originally, I was researching Empress Frederick (I thought that she was "The Princess of Prussia" mentioned in the Chasidc story based on my ancestor, Dr. Pesach Friedman) - but when I started reseaching her a bit, I could not find any mention of her travels to "The Holy Land". When I saw somewhere that Marianne made the journey, I was sure it was her (I would not be surprised if the dates in the Chasidic tale are off. In any case, do any of you know of any other PRINCESS OF PRUSSIA who might have brought an entourage to "The Holy Land" in 1873. Any help or guidance would be so appreciated. I am trying to begin reseach on the story in order to adapt the piece into a play.
Thanks again!!

I've been looking around a little,but can't find anyone.It definitely wasn't our Marianne,then,but if the story is in 1850 - 1853,yes,the discription fits her.

She and her entourage travelled from Sicily to Malta and on to Alexandria.From there she travelled to the pyramids and Cairo,and returned to Alexandria where she "purchased" a black boy who was sold as a slave at the market there.She educated him,and,"the moorish boy",was taken care off for the rest of his life.

She then travelled in Palestine & Syria for a while before returning to Italy where she aquired a villa at the Monte Celio at The Vatican,had it renovated and refurbished and then named it "Celimontana","Heavenly mountain"...

It was then she called for her son,Johannes,who had stayed/remained at Cefalu,Sicily till then,and was a two year old when he saw his mother,again.She left him for her journey when he was only two weeks old.

Ah,lives can be so stange,no,different,and then turn tragic don't you think.

 

[Marengo]

I just read that princess Marianne was considered a very sexually 'free' lady. So much that there were legendary stories about erotic parties at her villa in Voorburg. She had a plateau built in her garden, where nude young women would sit on at times. The stable boys, only dressed in boots, would have to climb the plateau. The stable boy that would be on top first would have intercourse with the woman, in front of the princess and a few guests.

Source: M. Matthijsen 'De gemaskerde eeuw'.